coaches poll 1/19/99

Ok, so we're a little late with this stuff. Generally we don't really like polls very much, but as one of the posters on the message board noted, there is one good reason to pay attention to the SCIBCA (Southern California Interscholatstic Basketball Coaches Association) poll: This poll, in no small part, will play a role in determining the seeding for playoffs among the divisions. It won't determine the entire process, because in each division there are clearly more than 10 teams which will make it to the playoffs, but when it comes to determining the "top" seeds, the CIF Southern Section puts a lot of stock into these polls.

So who votes on this? Well, it's largely a secret, but there is one coach appointed from each division, and that coach keeps track of records of teams in the division for which he has responsibility. At the end of each week, a "poll" is compiled, mostly based on the overall and league records, and recommendations of others on the "committee." At least that's how we've been told it's compiled. It's probably more like making hotdogs or legislation: You know what you've got when it's done, but as for watching it being made, forget it because you'll lose your appetite.

We don't necessarily agree with much of what is in this poll. We clearly think that there are some schools who aren't listed who should be and others who are listed who clearly shouldn't be, but then we really should do our own poll, right? For now, here's what the SCIBCA has posted. Remember, this was as of last Monday, through games played as of last Friday, January 15, so this should really change quite a bit as of this coming Monday.

Division IAA	Division IA	Division IIAA	Division IIA
1. Artesia 2. LB Jordan 3. Upland 4. LB Poly 5. Capistrano Valley 6. Fontana 7. Eisenhower 8. Ontario 9. Downey 10. Rowland	1. Glendora 2. Simi Valley 3. Mater Dei 4. Pacific 5. Santa Barbara 6. Loara 7. J.W. North 8. Moreno Valley 9. Katella 10. Villa Park	1. Dominguez 2. Redondo 3. Compton 4. Rancho Verde 5. Newport Harbor 6. Brea Olinda 7. Tustin 8. Buena Park 9. Sonora 10. La Serna 10. Elsinore	1. Inglewood 2. Santa Margarita 3. Pacifica 4. Muir 5. Ocean View 6. Mayfiar 7. Newbury Park 8. Dos Pueblos 9. Temple City 10. Central Union
Division IIIAA	Division IIIA	Division IV AA	Division IVA
1. Bishop Montgomery 2. Alemany 3. San Dimas 4. Gladstone 5. La Quinta 6. South Hills 7. Santa Paula 8. Brawley 9. La Quinta 10 Servite	1. Corona Del Mar 2. Chaminade 3. Nordhoff 4. Estancia 5. Harvard-Westlake 6. Morningside 7. Northview 8. St. Francis 9. Banning 10. Santa Ynez	1. Crespi 2. Laguna Beach 3. St. Bernard 4. Twentynine Palms 5. St. Paul 6. Marshall 7. Valley Christian 8. La Salle 9. Rosamond 10. Compton Centennial	1. Verbum Dei 2. Crossroads 3. St. Joseph Santa Maria 4. St. Monica 5. Maranatha 6. Calvary Chapel Santa Ana 7. Mojave 8. Whittier Christian 9. Brentwood 10. St. Bonaventure
	Division VAA	Division VA
	1. Pasadena Poly 2. Santa Clara 3. Pacific Hills 4. Calvary Chapel (D) 5. Campbell Hall 6. St. Anthony 7. Chadwick 8. Bell-Jeff 9. Bishop Diego 10. Apple Valley Christian	1. Price 2. Laguna Blanca 3. Rolling Hills Prep Antelope Valley Christian 5. Rio Hondo Prep 6. Orangewood Academy 7. Santa Clarita Christian 8. Bethel Christian 9. Pilgrim 10 Pioneer Baptist

There were a bunch of schools who didn't make it into the "top 10" for their Divisions. Those on the cusp were, in Division I-AA Ayala, Rialto, Murietta Valley; In Division I-A, San Clemente, Ventura, Thousand Oaks, Troy; In Division IIAA, Canyon Anaheim, California, and Pasadena; In Division IIA, Bellflower, Magnolia and a couple of others; D-IIAA, Gabrielino, La Canada, Pioneer; D-IIIA, Bassett, Blair, San Marino; D-IVAA, Morro Bay, D-IVA, Providence; D-VAA, Buckley, Capistrano Valley Christian, Aquinas and Windward; D-VA Desert Christian and Heritage Christian.

Again, look for more changes next week, and even bigger changes the week after, which will reflect some crucial league matchups which will take place during the week of January 25-31, but which won't be reflected in the polls until later towards the end of the season just before playoffs.